As it is found in nature, and does not alter during manufacturing processes, graphite is shiny, dark to medium gray in color, brittle and electrically conductive. A wide range of industries use graphite in product formation and the type of graphite used will depend on the intended application of the product. Read More…
Leading Manufacturers
Weaver Industries, Inc.
Denver, PA | 717-336-7507At Weaver Industries we specialize in manufacturing machined graphite parts and products. Our goal is to ensure that our customers get the right tools for their applications. We are leaders in the industry for our graphite machining processes which include recycling and reclaiming machined electrodes. Custom molded urethane and high quality carbon graphite are only a few of our other capabilities.
Ohio Carbon Blank
Willoughby, OH | 800-448-8887Innovating and manufacturing the highest quality graphite products since 1979, Ohio Carbon Blank guarantees customer satisfaction. Our machined graphite blanks come in various sizes and square, rectangular and round shapes—available from .001" up to full block sizes. No matter what the size and style, all of our products adhere to ISO 9001:2008 quality standards. For a complete list of available graphite materials and our other capabilities, contact Ohio Carbon Blank today!
St. Marys Carbon Company
St. Marys, PA | 814-781-7333St. Marys Carbon Company is an integrated manufacturer of carbon materials. These materials are used in the manufacturing of automotive and industrial brushes, electrical contacts, current collector shoes, and a wide range of mechanical products. In addition, we can supply stock material if you desire to perform the final machining work.
Semco Carbon
Lorain, OH | 800-420-5740Since 1971, Semco Carbon has been a leading supplier of custom carbon and graphite machining. Our graphite products include graphite rods, graphite tubes and graphite fixtures. We serve a range of industries with quality machined graphite and handle small-run jobs machined from raw blocks.
Graphite Products - Industrial Graphite Sales, LLCIn its natural form, there are three different types of graphite-crystalline flake, which is flat with hexagonal edges, amorphous, which is very flaky, and lump, which is found in underground veins and fissures. Different uses for graphite are in both commercial and industrial applications. The most popular use for graphite is to make pencil lead. However, this mineral's applications are abundant within the industrial sector. In powder form, it acts as an effective dry lubricant, and is used in steel casting as a die lubricant to ease the part ejection.
When combined with alumina and zirconia, graphite forms stopper rods, sub-entry nozzles and ladle shrouts. The nuclear, chemical, electrical, electronics, automotive, aerospace and mechanical industries all use graphite in products like paints, batteries, brake linings for large non-automotive vehicles and laptop components.
Containers used to hold extremely hot liquids and materials called crucibles are often made of graphite, since it can withstand extremely high temperatures without burning, melting or chemically changing.
For most graphite products, graphite is manufactured synthetically, which does result in some different physical properties but it is still an effective conductor of electricity and heat. In addition to natural graphite's uses, the synthetic form proves very valuable in products used for steel making. Since graphite is electrically conductive, it serves as material for electrodes in electric arc furnaces, which carry electricity and melt scrap steel as part of the die casting process.
Carbon is expensive, so graphite often serves as an alternative to carbon additives. Graphite electrodes are also used in printing processes. They are coated in a thin layer on wax impressions, underneath a copper layer. It gives the negative electrical connection used for electrolysis. Graphite is also commonly seen within nuclear applications to absorb neutrons, which aids in moderating a nuclear reaction.
One of the main benefits of graphite products are their high recycling ability. Products and leftover scraps may be melted down and reused multiple times. A combination of used and new graphite is ground into fine powder by crushers. It is usually mixed with other materials, and formed into different shapes by extrusion, die molding or cold isostatic pressing. The products are then heat treated in a baking oven, where the graphite goes through carbonization.